Fallen
by MBlackFlamesM
Summary: When you're on the verge to lose someone you care about, what do you do about it? Do you try to spend the remaining days, hours and minutes with them? Or do continue walking on the path you've chosen? This story takes place after Sasuke has defeated Itachi.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, here I am with something a bit different than my other stories. It's my first ever attempt at a tragedy, so I would like that you tell me at the end of it how you liked it.**

**This story is my view on what would happen if Tobi was not the person we know him to be. If Sasuke never found out the truth about Itachi.**

**Warning: Lime ahead.**

* * *

**Part 1**

A boy with blond hair and blue eyes ran through the woods, easily dodging his enemy's attacks. The boy went to stop by a branch as he turned and threw a kunai at them. They blocked his attack before throwing a shuriken but missed as he went to dodge it.

_Where the hell is Sai?_ he asked himself and dodged another shuriken that came his way.

He was getting rather irritated and impatient to wait for the pale skinned guy and so made a quick decision as he dodged another of their attacks. Taking matters into his own hands, he went to the side, behind a tree to prepare the attack that would hopefully take out the enemy.

He quickly created three clones; sending out two of them to distract the enemy as he began to form the rasengan with the other.

"You're mine now!" he heard a voice exclaim to his front. His clone disappeared in a puff of smoke and he thrust his arm out as it came in contact with a body. A sharp pain inflicted on his arm before there was a loud crash, indicating that the blond had won.

He didn't feel happy though that he'd taken them down and so just looked up to the blue sky, wondering where a certain raven could be.

A sound of people arriving brought him back from his musings and he turned to see his two teammates standing there.

"Naruto! Are you alright?" asked the pinkette as she ran up to him looking concerned.

The blond forced himself to smile as he said, "Hai. I'm fine."

The pinkette looked relieved but as soon as she caught the wound on his arm she changed to one of annoyance.

"No you're not! You're hurt." Without another word she grabbed his wrist and placed a hand on the cut, beginning to heal it. It shortly closed up and she removed her hand to take a final look before letting go.

"Arigatou Sakura-chan," the blond said and smiled, sincerely this time.

She looked up to glare at him for a moment and shortly said, "You're welcome." She then turned to have a look at the enemy that was lying motionless on the ground.

A few hours of gathering the people up later, they left for Konoha with the help of their team leader Yamato.

"Great job guys! I'll go and report to the Hokage of the successful mission," the brunette said. "Tell you what? You should take a few days off and relax a little." He received two smiling teenagers while the other one looked at him with a mask of indifference. And with that he disappeared in a puff of white smoke.

The blond turned around once the smoke had faded, preparing himself to leave but was stopped when someone grabbed his arm. He turned around only to look into the smiling face of Sakura.

"Nani?"

"Where are you going?"

"Home," he said as if it were obvious.

"What's happened to you Naruto? You used to be all sunshine and light, and now you're so... withdrawn," she said looking a bit uncertain as she gestured with her hands.

The blond looked at the pinkette and then at his other teammate who nodded in agreement. He sighed. Of course they would notice sooner or later that something was wrong.

"I'm fine," he said with a fake smile. "I just… I'm going through a tough time is all."

"What? What is it?" she asked.

It was now his time to look uncertain as he avoided the other's gaze.

"You know you can tell us, whatever it may be."

The blond looked at the sincere faces of his two teammates, but, he couldn't bring himself to tell them. "Gomen'nasai Sakura-chan, but this isn't something you can help with. I must figure this out for myself." And without another word he turned and walked off.

The pinkette was about to follow but was stopped by Sai. "Give him some time." She looked down but nodded.

Naruto shortly arrived at his apartment. He closed the door and locked it before removing his headband, shoes and jacket. He was tired and just wanted to go sleep. He almost didn't notice the mess inside his bedroom as he went to the bed to lie down. He crawled under the covers, not caring that he was still wearing his pants and shirt as he shortly fell asleep.

* * *

It was dark. Dark and cold.

The wind rushed by his ears and he could hear the sound of rustling leaves from somewhere in the distance. Even though he was alone, he didn't feel lonely. And even though it was cold, he wasn't freezing. He felt rather numb and devoid of all emotions. He just felt… nothing.

And then another rush of wind came, this one bringing the sounds of screams and the smell of death. A chill ran down his spine and he brought his hands to his ears, trying to block it all out. But it was all to no avail. The smell of blood rushed into his nostrils and the screaming of people he know didn't subside.

"Make it stop…" he mumbled. "Please... make it stop."

It didn't stop though, it just continued until he couldn't take it anymore.

"MAKE IT STOP!"

Everything went silent – save for the erratic breathing coming from the blond boy.

"…to…"

Naruto looked up, hands slowly leaving his head. There was a voice in the distance.

"…ruto…"

That voice. He knew that voice. But who? Who was calling him?

He looked up and waited for the voice to come again. When it didn't he decided to walk and see if he came across the person the voice belonged to.

He didn't know for how long he walked. It could've been minutes or maybe even hours. The place didn't change no matter how much he twisted and turned his body. It was still as dark and cold as it had been before. He couldn't even see if he was walking on solid ground, that's how dark it was. However, he could see when he brought his hand up to his face along with his feet that were planted on the unseeing ground. But besides that there was nothing but darkness.

The blond sighed, feeling a bit frustrated. He didn't like this place, it gave him the creeps and the screaming he'd heard earlier may have gone quiet but he could still hear it. It was carved into his brain, echoing on the walls of his mind.

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thoughts as he continued onwards. That's when he heard the voice again.

"…ruto…"

It was very faint. Almost like a whisper in the silent darkness he walked in.

"Who's there?" he asked.

He received no answer and that made him even more frustrated. He clenched his hands into fists as he scowled at the darkness. He was about to turn and walk back to the direction he came from (or think he came from) when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

He went to turn around but found himself to be rotted on the spot. He felt the warm breath of another person, ghosting over his neck, making him shiver.

"Naruto."

The blonds' blue eyes widened as he now recognized the voice but he shook his head.

_No. It can't be him._ The voice had spoken to him in a gentle way. And he would never speak to him like that. Never.

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts as he felt the person move closer to him. Soon he was pressed flushed against the solid, warm body of the other, making him shiver yet again. He swallowed and licked his dry lips unconsciously as he felt hands rub at his arms. He still couldn't move so he decided to just feel. The hands went down to his wrists, loosely holding them for a moment before they let go and then traveled back up again. The strokes were gentle but also firm as they repeated the action over and over again.

Then the hands began to explore more of his body. They went up to his shoulders to massage them a little before running them down his back, nails being drawn over his fabric covered skin. The hands then went to touch his abdomen and travel up and over his chest. He almost moaned when the hands passed over his half-hard nipples but managed to keep it in just in time by biting his lower lip. The hands continued to move up and down, slowly, caressing almost as the blond desperately tried not to make a sound.

Then all of a sudden one of the hands travelled down lower to where his growing erection was straining against his pants. The hand stroked the bulge making the blond suck in a deep breath as he tried to calm down. The hand kept teasing him like that a few times before it went to unbutton his pants and pull the zipper down. The hand didn't hesitate as it went under the two layers of fabric and grabbed his cock.

Naruto couldn't help but let out a gasp at the contact and when the hand began to stroke him, he forgot about everything else because it just felt _so_ _good_. He writhed beneath the other's touch, willing himself not to moan as he bit his lip until it started bleeding. The thick red liquid ran down his chin as beads of sweat were gathering on his burning skin. The other hand that had been holding him in place came up to stroke his cheek and then put it over his eyes before turning his head around.

The blond felt something soft press itself against his lips and his eyes widened. He went to pull away but the person had a firm grip on his head as they opened their mouth and ran a wet tongue over his lips, seeking entrance. The blond let them in and along with it let his voice go.

It didn't take very long until he could feel his release coming closer and closer until it was here. His whole body tensed up as semen spurt out of the tip, covering the hand that was still holding him and his abdomen. His body shook as he rode out the rest of his orgasm. His legs felt weak and he was about to fall but strong arms gripped him before he could.

When his breathing was back and he felt his strength returning to his limbs he went to stand up. The hands that were wrapped around his middle let go, instead going up and lightly touching his shoulders.

Naruto opened his eyes that he had closed when he came. He went to turn around to look at whoever had brought him over the edge. His eyes widened as many emotions rushed through him. Sadness. Hope. Anger. Joy. Loneliness. Hatred. Love.

It took him a little while to gather his wits and when he did he spoke only one word, or rather a name.

"Sasuke?"

The raven-haired young man before him with eyes that were darker than the night and skin as pale as the moon could no doubt be the youngest Uchiha. The raven smiled a little in acknowledgment and the blond shortly followed with a smile of his own. It was wiped away though when sudden pain erupted from his chest.

He slowly looked down, blue eyes widening at the pale arm he found there. He distinctively could make out the familiar noise of chidori from behind him as he made to look back up at the other. The raven's expression had changed, instead of smiling with true joy shinning in his eyes there was nothing. The other seemed devoid of any emotion.

"Naze?" whispered the blond. He'd been so happy to see the raven. So happy that he might've cried, now tears prickled in his eyes for a different reason entirely as he continued to stare at the other.

"Because I hate you," was the other's answer. He then went to pull his hand out of the other, seemingly unfazed when Naruto dropped to the ground as blood gushed out of the wound he had caused.

The blond looked up and watched as the raven turned to walk away.

_Wait…_ he thought, not wanting the other to leave. He tried to stand up but dizziness struck him as his vision began to blur.

_Wait,_ he thought again, this time desperately as the sight of the other as he was slowly vanishing from his view.

He stretched his hand out and yelled as loud as he possibly could to the other, putting as much emotion to the word as he could. "Matte!"

* * *

Naruto shot off the bed, his eyes wide and body drenched in sweat. He looked around the place frantically for the raven but came to notice that he was in his bedroom.

He turned to look out the window; the sun was only just coming up on the horizon. He lied back down, buried his face in his hands and let out a loud groan.

Why was he having these kinds of dreams? And what did they mean?

As he pondered over why this was happening to him a deep, almost growling voice interrupted his thoughts.

"_**What's wrong, Naruto?"**_

The blond sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again he was standing in a large room and in front of him was the kyuubi, Kurama. The red eyes of the beast were looking straight at him. He could see slight concern shining in the crimson orbs of the large kitsune.

"I had a bad dream, again," he said.

The kyuubi looked at him for a moment longer before it stretched out a paw to him.

Naruto didn't hesitate as he climbed into the furry palm of the large fox, a wash of Kurama's chakra made him instantly relax.

"**Would you like to share?"** the kyuubi said as it sat down, making itself comfortable in the big, dark room.

The blond nodded and then told him about the dream.

From the numbness he had felt, to the screams he had heard, and smell of death he had smelled. He also told him that Sasuke had suddenly appeared and were not ashamed to talk about what had been going on. He ended the explanation with waking up in his bed. Now, he was waiting for the other's reaction.

The kyuubi seemed to be deep in thought. It took a while before he finally said anything.

"**The dream you're describing to me is interesting. From what I gathered there's death, love, darkness and blood in this dream of yours,"** he said and then went to explain what the four things represents.

"**You dreamt of yourself dying by the hands of someone you love. Specifically your own death symbolizes inner changes, transformation and self-discovery. Dreaming of death does not indicate anything negative but is instead seen as something positive. It can mean that big changes are ahead of you and that you are moving on to new beginnings and leaving the past behind.**"

The blond listened intently; hanging onto Kurama's every word. He snorted at the end of new beginnings and leaving the past behind him. It was a bit difficult leaving the past behind when it came right back to haunt you. He shook his head, ridding himself of these thoughts and turned back to look into the crimson eyes of his large, furry friend.

"**Dreaming of love – whenever being in love or just of the strong emotion – indicates intense feelings carried over from a waking relationship. It refers to your contentment with what you already have and where you are in life. To dream that your friend is in love with you may be one of wish fulfillment."**

Naruto nodded at that. It more or less made sense to him.

"**As for darkness, it suggests that you are waiting for something to happen. However, if you're lost in darkness it means you have feelings of desperation, depression, or insecurity."**

The blond thought about that for a moment. Had he felt lost in the darkness? No. Not that he could remember. He had just wondered where he was and wanted to find a way out. But then when he heard the voice, he had wanted to know who was calling him.

"**To dream that you are bleeding or losing blood signifies that you are suffering from exhaustion or that you are feeling emotionally drained. It may also denote bitter confrontations between you and your friends."**

The blond was quiet for a moment, contemplating on what to say to Kurama. Everything sounded both strange but also true.

The death-thing he didn't understand quite what it meant by inner changes, transformation and self-discovery. Does that mean that something will change in him? And what about all that darkness that had surrounded him, "waiting for something to happen" what does that even mean?

He went over what Kurama had told him for a bit longer before he faced said red-eyed kitsune.

"Should I be worried about anything of what you've just told me?"

The kyuubi seemed to think his question over before he said, **"Whenever you should worry or not, that's your choice. Personally, I would worry a little. Some dreams after all come true to certain people. And it has sometimes done so in your case. Remember that time you dreamt about putting out fire?"** the blond nodded. **"It signifies that you will overcome your obstacles in your life through much hard work and effort. And so far it has not been incorrect since you had this dream before leaving the village to get stronger."**

Naruto and Kurama spoke for a bit longer until a knock disturbed their talk. The blond said goodbye to his furry friend and closed his eyes only to reopen them a few seconds later. He got out of bed and padded over to his front door.

"Ohayo Naruto," were the first words to greet him when he opened the door.

"Ohayo Sakura-chan," greeted the blond back with a strained smile.

"I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to the library. I need to pick up some books for healing. We can pass by Ichiraku if you want to as well."

The blond was about to decline but then remembered Kurama's words.

_"To dream that you are bleeding or losing blood signifies that you are suffering from exhaustion or that you are feeling emotionally drained. It may also denote bitter confrontations between you and your friends."_

He didn't want such things as bitter confrontations between his friends. So instead of shaking his head with a no, he instead nodded and said, "Sure. I could use some ramen right now. Just let me clean up and get changed, okay?"

A couple of minutes later the pair were walking side by side. The blonds' hands were buried in the front pockets of his orange pants and he was watching the path with a bored expression.

The silence was disrupted by a question from the pinkette. "You look tired. Have you slept at all?"

The blond stopped for a moment. His mind going back to the dream. The darkness, the screams, the smell of blood, the pleasure, Sasuke...

He shook his head, trying to block it all out and turned to Sakura. Thinking that a relatively honest answer was good now. "I went to bed as soon as I got home. Woke up to a nightmare hours later."

He didn't supply what the nightmare was about and Sakura didn't ask.

The pair were greeted by Teuchi and Ayame with a cheerful "good morning" that the two returned. They sat down and ordered before either tried to talk.

Sakura was of course the first to break the silence, with a question the other didn't want to answer. "What was the nightmare about?"

Naruto bristled at the question. He had no idea how to answer that question. But if he didn't answer then Sakura would just worry more. He settled for something that was the half-truth.

"Sasuke." That immediately drew a somber look out of the other and she didn't question him further as their food arrived.

It was silent between the two for a very long time that neither knew how to break. They finished their ramen and went to the library. And once there they split.

Sakura went to look at some books on healing while Naruto just browsed around, looking at different ones. His eyes then fell on a book about dreams. Curious about the different meanings of certain dreams he pulled it out of the shelf and went to sit down at an empty table. He opened the book as he scanned the pages of the different things with the different meanings. It truly was fascinating and he stopped to read a few sections on certain things.

_Agony: "To dream that you are in agony suggests that some decision or nagging problem from your waking life has crept into your dream. It will continue to torment you until it is resolved."_

Well, that didn't sound depressing at all considering the problems he had mostly involved one person. And said person wasn't exactly reachable.

_Alone: "To dream that you are alone indicates feelings of rejection. You may be feeling that no one understand you."_

That sounded so true it kind of hurt but it wasn't enough to make him stop reading.

_Depression: "To feel depressed in your dream refers to your inability to make connections. You are unable to see the causes of your problems and consequences of your decisions. People who are depressed in their waking life often have dreams about being depressed. Pay attention to what is depressing you in your dream and see how it relates to your waking life."_

_Killing: "To dream that you kill someone indicates that you are on the verge of losing your temper and self-control. Consider the person you have killed and ask yourself if you feel any rage towards her or him in your waking life. Your dream may be expressing some hidden anger. Alternatively, you may be trying to kill an aspect of yourself that is represented by the person killed. Identify the characteristics of this person and ask yourself which of these qualities you are trying to put an end to._

"_To dream that you have been killed suggests that your actions are disconnected from your emotions and conscience. The dream refers to drastic changes that you are trying to make. There is a characteristic that you want to get rid of or a habit that you want to end within yourself. Killing represents the killing off of the old parts and old habits. Alternatively, the dream represents feelings of being let down or betrayed by someone in your waking life. You are feeling overwhelmed, shocked and disappointed."_

"Found anything interesting?"

Naruto looked up at Sakura who was smiling down at him. He closed the book, not wanting her to see what page he'd been reading on, much less about.

"Do you have your books?" he asked.

"I have three out of five, but it's enough," she said and put the books down on the table before sitting down opposite of him. "So, what are you reading?"

"It's a book about dreams. It basically tells you the meaning of them," he simply said with a shrug.

"Hontoni?" Naruto nodded absentmindedly. "Can I try?"

The blond smirked and opened the book. "What do you want to know? Just say a word."

The pinkette thought about it for a long time till she said, "Flowers."

The blond flipped through the pages until he came to F. It didn't take him long to find the page where the word was.

"Flower: To see colorful flowers in your dream signify kindness, compassion, gentleness, pleasure, beauty, and gain. It is also symbolic of perfection and spirituality. Your dream may be an expression of love, joy and happiness. Alternatively, flowers in dreams, especially if they are blooming, represent your hidden potential and hidden talents. Flowers can also denote a particular time or season. If the flowers are white, then it symbolizes sadness. Consider the color of the flower and the type of flower for additional analysis.

"To see withered or dead flowers in your dream denotes disappointments and gloomy situations. It may signal an end to a love relationship. Or it could indicate that you may not be utilizing your full potential and talents and letting it go to waste.

"To dream that you receive a bouquet of flowers represents respect, approval, admiration, and rewards.

"To see flowers blooming in barren soil signify that energy and cheerful nature will enable you to overcome your grievances. If you are picking flowers, then the dream symbolizes blooming love or a new developing relationship."

When Naruto was done he looked up into the sparkling green eyes of his teammate. He smiled, it's been a while since he's seen the pinkette this interested in something.

"Want to try another one?" he asked and after receiving a cheerful nod he couldn't help but chuckle.

The rest of the day was spent in laughter inside the library. They eventually left the place with their books and parted ways to go home.

Naruto spent the rest of his day reading, not moving from his spot unless it was to eat or go to the bathroom.

Night eventually came though and as the moon was taking its place on the dark sky did the blond put away the book and turn in.

* * *

The blond shot up out of the bed. His whole body was drenched in sweat and his breathing was coming out in short, erratic pants. He swallowed and took deep breaths until he felt himself calm down.

That's the fourth time he's had that dream. The darkness surrounding him, the screaming, the smell of death, and the pleasure he keeps on receiving from the one person he loves.

He wrapped his arms around his torso. He could still feel the cold but gentle touches of the other. It scared him yet made him feel strangely calm inside.

He went to run his fingers through his hair that was damp with sweat. He just wanted these dreams to stop. Why couldn't they just stop?

It's been a almost two weeks since the first time he's had that dream. Then he's had that same dream a couple of more times. Was it there to haunt him? Or was it there for a reason unknown? He had asked Kurama if it knew, but the giant kitsune had just shook its head. It was frustrating really, and it didn't help him at all.

The nightmares were not the only thing on his mind though. He's noticed that the last couple of days he's been feeling more drained than usual when after he's been using chakra.

He's tried to sleep it off but when he woke up he'd still feel tired, even though he should've slept more than enough.

He didn't know why it was happening and had many times contemplated whenever he should go to the hospital, but has immediately decided against it for two reasons.

One, he hated hospitals. The smell of it and the sight of other people that's been hurt or have a certain disease.

And two, if something really was wrong with him then he would no doubt be stuck there for a while.

So, he's decided not to go and figure out himself what could be wrong. But seeing as both him and Kurama's at a lost, maybe he should go.

The blond shook his head and got out off the bed. No use in thinking about those types of things. Especially when he needed to leave soon to go on a mission.

It was a B-rank mission that he was going to go to together with his two teammates Sai and Sakura as well as Team Guy.

They were suppose to protect a group of merchants that were traveling from Konoha to Suna. And while there, Naruto had decided to say hello to Gaara. See how the red-head is doing and such.

He grabbed his filled up backpack, zipped up his jacket and fastened his headband before leaving the apartment.

* * *

In a forest there sat six shinobi, taking a rest from the battle that had occurred. The people they were supposed to protect were resting alongside them, sometimes asking questions how it was like to be a shinobi.

The only one who wasn't resting was Hyuga Neji, that was instead looking around with an air of alertness with his Byakugan.

"See anything?"

The brunet turned to glance at Naruto who was facing the front too. The brunet noticed something strange with the way the blonds' chakra was acting. It seemed... faint. Weak. Like nothing was barely there. His chakra didn't flow like it was supposed to, or not as fast as it should. His chakra used to be like a waterfall, cascading throughout his body. Now though,it seemed to just dribble through his being.

"Neji?"

The brunet quickly looked up to meet the blonds' blue gaze. That's also when he noticed the dark circles under his eyes along with the tired and almost haunted look in his gaze that were trying to hide behind the look of concern he was displaying.

"Nanimo," he said and turned to look back in front. "Everything seems to be fine."

"Okay."

He felt the other leave and turned to look at his retreating back. He should keep a close eye on the blond. Hopefully the way his chakra flowed was because of exhaustion.

He really hoped it was just that.

* * *

Naruto was wandering around Suna with no destination in mind. He just strolled down the sandy streets, waiting for something to happen.

"Naruto?"

The blond turned around, wondering who had called him. He smiled when his eyes landed on Temari.

"Konnichiwa Temari," he greeted.

"What brings you to Suna?"

"Mission," he replied. "Some merchants needed an escort and we volunteered to do the job."

She nodded and a silence settled between them until Temari found something to say. "How long will you be staying?"

"A few hours at the most," said the blond with a light shrug.

She nodded. "I'm going to the Kazekage's office to deliver some papers. Want to come along?"

The blond smiled. "Alright."

The walk to the building was rather short as the pair was suddenly standing by the door leading to the office. Temari knocked a few times on the wooden surface and waited for a call inside before she swung it open.

Naruto walked in after Temari and closed the door behind him before facing the front.

Gaara was leaning over a piece of paper, holding a pen in his hand as he scribbled away. His desk was full with mountains of paperwork but he didn't seem to mind much unlike Tsunade. He had yet to look up from the paper he was still writing on.

"Working hard I see," said the blond suddenly.

The hand holding the pen stopped and the red-head looked up in surprise.

"Naruto..."

"Yo." The blond decided to no longer linger by the door now that the other knew he was there as he made his way to the desk. "How are you doing?"

The red-head didn't answer at first but eventually did. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Honestly? Not so good."

Gaara had turned back to the paper but had to look back up again at the blonds' words. "What's wrong?"

Naruto hesitated but eventually started on explaining what had happened these past few days.

* * *

"Naruto."

The blond halted at the call of his name. He turned around to look at Neji questioningly. He wondered what the brunet could possibly want when he noticed the grave expression.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I hope not but I think that there might be something wrong."

The blond looked at the other, prompting him with his eyes for an answer.

"Your chakra is not flowing as it should."

That caught the blond a bit off guard. Not flowing as it should? What did that mean?

"What do you mean?" he asked after a moment.

"I mean that your chakra seemed to have slowed down. It used to run throughout your body like a wild stream, but now it seems like it has almost stopped," explained the brunet.

The blond seemed shocked at the other's words. His chakra had slowed down? What does that indicate?

Before he could ask a voice interrupted him.

_**"Now that he mentions it, the flow of your chakra has been slowing down."**_

_Kurama?_

_**"I think it's time to seek help. This sort of thing is beyond me."**_

The blond nodded mentally, thinking that was a good idea. He then turned back to Neji and told him he would go to Konoha hospital as soon as they're back.

* * *

Naruto was walking around the village with heavy steps and an even heavier feeling that had settled down in his stomach.

It couldn't be. He couldn't be...

The healer's words came back to him as a reminder that he hadn't heard it wrong. That it was the truth.

_"Your chakra appears to be fading away from your body. Where it goes I don't know, but I believe that this is the sign of the exhaustion you've been feeling. Your chakra can't seem to recover as it should because of this thing that is decreasing it and so your body is getting weaker._

_"I'm not certain on what you should do since you said that it didn't matter whenever you're using your chakra or not, you still feel tired. My suggestion would be to come here for a checkup once a week to see if it has decreased anymore and not to overdo it during training. Let's hope that this is just a phase of something and your chakra will recover soon."_

_"And if it doesn't?"_

_"If the decreasing continues... then your life may be at a high risk."_

_"So... what you're telling me is that if my chakra doesn't recover. Then I'm..."_

_"Yes, you're-"_

"Dying."

The word was spoken in such a hollowed voice that the blond barely felt his lips move. He could not register as his body led him back to his apartment. He didn't feel anything as he shed his clothes and went to the bed. He opened the window but barely even felt as the cool air hit his warm skin.

He couldn't believe that he was dying, but then, he had never expected any of this. Just like he'd never expected _him_ to leave.

"Speaking of which..." the blond mumbled and looked up to the dark sky. "Where are you Sasuke?"

The raven almost always crossed the other's mind when he was alone. Why wouldn't he? He was the sole purpose why the blond was still alive and trying to get stronger.

"Get stronger huh," he thought out loud and then before he could stop himself let out a hollow laugh.

Once he'd calmed down he lied down on the bed with an arm swung across his face. This was ridiculous. He was ridiculous. All his dreams and hopes for the future had all been shattered in a single moment.

Death suddenly felt much closer now as he thought about what he would never get to see again or feel again once he's passed away.

He'd never get to smell or taste the ramen at Ichiraku. He'd never get to smell the flowers being sold at Yamanaka's. He'd never get to feel the wind rush by his ears as he runs.

And his friends... he'll never get to see them again either.

And on that last thought, the blond couldn't help but let out a sob as tears began to run down his cheeks.

That night he cried himself to sleep with Kurama watching over him with sad eyes. Thankfully that night, no nightmares came. Instead the blonds' dreams consisted of him being surrounded by all his friends, with the sweet smell of flowers flowing into his nostrils.

* * *

The upcoming weeks had been both exhausting and a pain to say the least.

The second time the blond had gone to the hospital for a checkup Tsunade had been called in to take a look at him. She had detected what had caused the decreasing of his chakra but seemed unable to help him. She gave much the same advice as the healer. Take it easy and use as little chakra as possible.

Naruto had quickly decided on to not go on anymore missions that would strain himself too much. A few people had been told of his new condition, including Kakashi and Yamato. Whenever to tell more people of his condition was his choice alone and he'd decided not to tell anyone about it yet.

Neji already knew more than enough and Hinata as well because of the Byakugan. The others like Sai and Sakura detected that something was wrong but did not know exactly what.

They even tried to confront him a couple of times but it always ended up badly and it sometimes went so bad that Naruto began to avoid them.

On the third week an idea had struck the blond like a lightning bolt. It was a stupid idea, probably the most idiotic one he's ever had. But it didn't matter, since to him it sounded like a good one, maybe even great.

The idea was to go after the Akatsuki and try to kill one of them. He was going to die anyway so he might as well take one of the members with him.

On the fourth week he decided to leave. He had everything already packed and ready. The note he'd written to the Hokage as well as an apology to his friends and teachers lay on the table where he usually sits to eat ramen. He picked up his headband but decided not to wear it as he put it down on the table as well. He lastly went to get the headband that a certain raven used to wear and put it in his pocket before pulling the hood up so that it covered his whole head and part of his face.

With one last look around the place he went out, on his way out of the village.

* * *

**The idea for the meaning of dreams and the book about them is taken from the site called: Dream Moods.**

**Reviews would also be very much appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

Somewhere in the distance a raven-haired teenage boy was wandering around in a forest. His breathing was steady and gaze even more so as he continued walking down the narrow path.

Then all of a sudden a figure came to view. They were dressed in a dark cloak, covering the person's body and the hood most of their face as they kept their head lowered. The person seemed to be struggling to stand or walk, not that it was any of his concern. He passed the person but didn't get further than a couple of feet as a familiar voice reached his ears.

"I fucking got it. Urusai!"

His whole body went rigid. He knew that voice, he was certain of it. But there was no way in hell that the person it belonged to could be-

"I said I got it! Would you please be quiet. I really don't need your comments no matter how logical they may sound."

Actually, there might be a possibility that they could be here. But why?

The boy turned around and looked to where the cloaked person was leaning against the trunk of a tree. He took a few steps forward and pulled his own hood back to reveal his face to the back of the other.

He stopped a meter or so away from the person before he said, "Naruto?"

He watched the back of the other stiffen as they slowly turned around. Wide blue eyes locked onto black.

"Oh, you got to be kidding me," was all the person got out before his eyes rolled back into his skull and he dropped to the ground like a rock.

The raven stood there and stared for a moment as if trying to process what just happened before he began to react.

He walked towards the fallen person and crouched down before he reached over to pull back the hood covering the other's face. Familiar spiky golden-blond hair was revealed to the other along with the sun-kissed skin and marked cheeks. So, he'd been right. But...

"Why are you here?" he thought out loud.

It really made no sense to him. Why would Naruto be out here? Why wasn't he in Konoha? Was he on a mission? But then, where are his teammates? And the absent of his headband didn't bring any answers, only more questions. Did he leave the village? But why?

Well, he wasn't going to get any of his questions answered until the blond woke up.

And so, the young Uchiha picked up the blond with ease which surprised him. He was way too light than what he should've been.

Putting the thought about weight aside he carried him away from the path to the trees, thinking it should be best to take this somewhere a bit more private.

He set the blond down once he could no longer see the pathway. He took off his own cloak and folded it before placing it under the other's head. Now all he could do was sit and wait for the other to wake up.

* * *

A blood curling scream woke the raven up. He sprang up to his feet and unsheathed his sword as his eyes turned crimson. He scanned the place for any danger but then heard the panting of the only other person there.

Naruto was sitting straight with one hand tangled in his blond hair while the other was gripping the cloak. He noticed a sheen of sweat going down the other's forehead and figured that perhaps he'd made the noise.

"What the hell happened?"

The raven sheathed Kusanagi as his eyes went back to its usual black color. He was about to answer when the blond spoke once again, making the confusion of the other increase.

"I'm well aware I fainted. Thanks for the info. What I would like to know is how I got _here_, because I'm pretty sure this is not the same place where I blacked out."

Not only was the blond confusing but he seemed delusional as well. Who the hell was he talking to?

Then the blond turned and looked up in his direction. Their eyes met and a long silence settled over. Until...

"Kurama pinch me now, I think I'm still asleep. Itai!" the blond rubbed his side and looked back up a moment later. "You're still here?"

More confusion bubbled up as the raven watched the blond as if he's lost it. Which it more or less seemed like he had.

"I think I'm further gone than I realize," he mumbled and stood up. He chanced a glance and seeing as the raven was still standing there he couldn't help but sigh. "Look, if you're gonna kill me like in all my other dreams why not just go ahead. Save me some time."

The raven didn't know how to react to that so he just ended up asking, "Nani?"

"Oh look, he spoke," the blond said in mock surprise. "Well that's something new instead of the blank look you keep on giving me before finishing me off."

The young Uchiha had honestly no idea what the other was babbling about. The blond apparently had dreams involving him, that much he gathered. But him killing Naruto? He couldn't see himself doing that.

Now, he might've been close in doing so in the past along with saying something along those lines. But, that was the past. He's had a lot to think about since he defeated Itachi and one of those things had been of the blond.

He realized he never really wanted to hurt Naruto, much less kill him. He'd just been so messed up and all of his hatred and hunger for power had temporally blinded him.

His vision hadn't cleared up until the source of his hatred had been destroyed. That's when he felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and he could finally think for a moment.

He'd started with leaving Team Hebi to wander around different places to see where it might take him. And weeks later that's what brought him here. And here he had met Naruto again, his former rival, teammate and friend.

But the reunion of the two was nothing like he'd expected. Instead of throwing a fit or being overjoyed to see him, the blond had instead began to talk to an invisible force and treat him like he wasn't more than just a figment of his imagination.

_Well,_ thought Sasuke with a smirk. _I'll just prove him wrong then._

When the raven looked up again the blond was looking straight at him, his arms crossed over his chest and looking like as if he was waiting for something to happen.

Another sigh escaped the other's lips. "Well, if you aren't going to do anything then I'm leaving," he said and turned to walk away.

"What makes you think you're dreaming?" Sasuke asked quickly, before the blond could take another step.

Naruto didn't turn around to face him but answered the question. "Because there's no way in hell you would be standing before me. I'm either hallucinating or dreaming, that's the only explanation there is."

Sasuke frowned for a moment and then took a few steps towards the blond. "What if you're not?" he asked and watched the back of the other stiffen. "What if I'm really here?"

"...ru...sai..."

"What if your mind is not playing tricks on you and I'm actually standing right here?"

"Urusai..."

"What if-"

"URUSAI!" the blond roared, covering his ears as he began to yell. "LEAVE ME ALONE! I don't need your empty words! I don't need false hope! You left and you aren't coming back! I get that now! So just go!"

The raven was stunned into silence. He had known that the other was hurting but for the other to display such emotion he hadn't expected.

He was at a loss on what to say for a moment but shortly snapped out of it. "Naruto..." he began to say but was interrupted.

"I told you to go away!" the blond yelled and turned around. Tear-filled cerulean-blue eyes came to look straight at him, pleadingly. "Please... just go," he said softly almost tiredly as he glanced away, closing his eyes as he tried to hold back the tears.

The raven didn't move away though. If anything he moved forward.

"Naruto," he tried again but as last time he got a negative response.

"Go away!"

"Naruto. You need to-"

"Urusai!"

"-calm down. You-"

"Leave!"

"-don't know what-"

"Go!"

"-you're doing."

"Urusai, Urusai, Urusai..."

Naruto was getting panic-stricken and Sasuke was getting pissed off.

"Naru-"

"Damare!"

That was the last straw. In just a few strides the raven was right in front of the other and didn't hesitate as he punched him square in the jaw.

The blond tumbled backwards from the impact and slowly brought a hand up to the right side of his cheek. He looked to be in great shock as he slowly lifted his head up to look at the other.

"It hurts doesn't it?" asked Sasuke. "Now, if I'm just a figment of your imagination. Then tell me, why does it hurt?"

The blond had no answers to that. He just continued to stare.

The raven walked up and crouched down in front of the other. He reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. "You're not dreaming or hallucinating. I'm really here."

The blond seemed to slowly snap out of whatever trance he'd been in. He went to touch the raven, to feel the solidness and warmth of the other.

His face broke into a relieved-looking smile. "Sasuke..."

Said raven nodded. "Hai. It's me."

"You're really here?"

"Hai."

And without further encouragement the blond went to hug the other. He buried his face deep within the other's shoulder and shortly began to cry. He didn't care whenever this was a dream anymore. He just wanted to wrap his arms around the other and never let go.

Sasuke just sat there and let the other cry on his shoulder. He didn't mind at all.

The warm reunion was cut short though when the raven heard something.

"Naruto, someone is coming."

The other had immediately pulled away and got up before the raven. The two quickly moved to hide before whoever it was came. Sasuke quickly grabbed his cloak that he'd folded earlier as they moved.

They stopped only a couple of meters away behind a large tree.

Sasuke stood with his back against the trunk with Naruto pressed up against him. It didn't bother the raven as much as it bothered the blond to be so close to each other. He turned to listen for anything and could hear the footsteps of people along with voices.

"That's strange... I could swear I heard something," one of them said.

"Maybe it was just your imagination," another said.

"Maybe..." the first one said. "Let's not linger here. We need to continue searching."

"Yeah," agreed the other. "We need to find that Uzumaki kid before something bad happens."

The other agreed and with that both shortly left.

Sasuke didn't move from his spot until he couldn't hear them anymore. When he felt that they were gone only then did he look down at the blond.

"Why are they looking for you?" he asked quietly.

The blond glanced away, contemplating whenever to answer or not.

The raven tried a different approach then. "Where are you heading?"

The blond hesitated for a moment but eventually sighed and said, "I'm going after the Akatsuki."

"Alone?" the raven asked with a raised eyebrow. He received a nod he hadn't expected and decided to just stare at the other. "But that's suicide."

"I know," said Naruto with a smile.

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

The blond laughed softly. "Hai. I do know that."

"Why are you going?"

The blond was hesitant in his answer but eventually said, "My chakra isn't as it used to be. It doesn't flow as it should and when I use it I easily get tired. It's fading away Sasuke. In other words..." he trailed off and took a deep breath before facing the other with a straight face. "I'm dying."

Sasuke stopped for a moment.

_What?_ he thought in bewilderment. _What did he just say?_

"Y - You're what?" he finally stuttered out after a moment's of silence.

"I'm dying."

"Usotsuki."

The other shook his head. "Sadly, I'm not."

The raven still wasn't convinced and the blond sighed at his stubbornness.

"You can check for yourself. Just use the sharingan."

Sasuke exactly did that as his eyes turned crimson and he looked at the flow of chakra on the other. Naruto's words seemed to finally hit him because something seemed terribly wrong. His chakra didn't flow as it should just like the blond had said.

"How?" he breathed out the question as he looked down at the chakra flow of the other.

"Tsunade-baa-chan said it to be a poison that's meant to drain ones chakra. She's already come up with an antidote for it but in my case it's already too late. If she had detected it earlier then I could've been saved. Now however, all the antidote can do is slow it down. I will eventually die."

Sasuke didn't believe what he was hearing. But the blond didn't seem to be lying and the flow of his chakra was slower. But there was something that did not make sense to him.

"Why aren't you fighting this?" to him Naruto should try and fight this. Not look like he's already given up.

"Because I've already accepted it. I knew something was wrong before they said anything. Why fight a battle that I've already lost?"

"So, you're just gonna give up? Just like that?" he asked. Still not believing this to be true.

"Just like that," the blond said simply. "And that's why I'm going after the Akatsuki. Since I'm going to die anyway I might as well take one of the members with me."

Sasuke was silent for a moment. He let the words sink in before making a decision.

"No you're not," he said sternly,surprising the blond. "You're not going. Not as long as I'm here."

The blond was silent the first second. The next though he was laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.

The raven however was not amused. "What's so funny?"

It took a while for the other to calm down but once he was and wiping tears of mirth from his eyes did he answer. "No. For a moment you reminded me of myself when we were younger. When I wouldn't let you go to Orochimaru."

The raven's eyes widened a little at that and a shadow seemed to fall over his face as he remembered. "About that," he began. This was difficult beyond words, but he needed to get it out and now seemed to be the right time for that. "Gomen'nasai Naruto."

The blond looked up in surprise, not having expected an apology.

"I'm sorry for everything I put you through. I didn't realize what I was doing. All the hate and hunger for power had blinded my vision. Now though, now that the fog has lifted I can see all the mistakes I've made."

The blond smiled at the other and reached over to make him look at him. "It's alright now Sasuke. I forgive you. And thank you for caring."

The raven smiled back as he went to take the other's hand. "Let's go back."

"Alright."

Days had passed since the two met and each day they were getting closer and closer to Konoha.

Sasuke had noticed how easily tired Naruto got after only a few hours of walking. He also barely ate and slept only for a few hours because of the nightmares.

The two had also been talking quite a lot these past few days, catching up if you will. The raven liked hearing about the stories Naruto kept on telling him, and hang on every word.

He'd also shared a huge secret. One that no one but him and his teacher Jiraiya knows about.

"The kyuubi and you have already fused together? How? When?"

"I was always alone," the blond said with a shrug. "Kurama took pity on me and decided to approach me in a dream. Ever since that one visit he's regularly visit me for as long as I can remember.

"I don't even remember how or when our chakra became one, but it did. We separated it of course at times. Like when I was trying to perform a jutsu, it was my chakra I was using. Kurama was always waiting for me to ask to use his. I never asked it though, I wanted Kurama to see what I could do by myself. In a way, I kind of wanted his approval of me. That I was no mere brat that he was sealed up inside. That I was worth something in his eyes.

"It wasn't until that time on the bridge when I thought Haku had killed you that I unconsciously asked - no - demanded Kurama for some of his chakra. And ever since then, Kurama's been helping me from time to time. Lending me his chakra along with helping me through the hardships of life.

"Kurama is many things to me. He's my parent and teacher but most of all Kurama is my friend. And I wouldn't have come this far if it wasn't for his help."

Sasuke smiled at that. Glad to hear that the other hadn't been completely alone, like he had. But that wasn't exactly true. Naruto's always been there. If not as a friend then as his rival and that had been something at the very least.

He looked back up only to realize that ahead lied the gates of Konoha. He tapped the other's shoulder and they looked up as well.

Both were thinking the same thing at that moment. _We're home._

* * *

Inside the Hokage's office sat Tsunade with a mountain of paperwork she needed to go through. She stopped scribbling and let out a sigh. She decided to take a small break and rose from her seat. She walked to the window to look over the village.

Her mind traveled to the past. Memories that mostly involved a blond-haired boy. Her brown eyes taking on a solemn look as she saw the goofy smile of the missing blond flashing before her eyes.

She didn't know for how long she stood there but her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," she said shortly and turned around.

The door opened up and in came two persons dressed in dark cloaks. The cloaks covered up the figures entire being, including their face that was covered by the hood.

"How can I help you?" she asked.

One of the figures turned around to the other. The other gave a nod and the figure reached up to remove the hood.

* * *

To say that the blond was nervous was an understatement, he was terrified. Tsunade wasn't saying anything, she was just staring at him. He wanted to break the silence but was too scared to do so. In the end, he decided to take a risk.

"Baa-chan... I..." he began, a bit uncertain on what to say. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Sasuke. It was a bit hard to tell with the hood up but he could tell that the raven was smiling at him, encouraging him to continue. He nodded, determination settling in his blue eyes as he focused his gaze on the blond woman.

"Tsunade-baa-chan, I'm terribly sorry for leaving the village. I'm not sure what came over me, it sounded like a good idea at the time..." he trailed off, his eyes shining with sadness but he quickly shook it off. "Anyway, I'm really sorry and I promise not to do it again. Please forgive me!" he bowed his head.

He heard a sigh and looked up to see Tsunade's smiling face.

"I'm glad you came back. However, your actions has made many people worry. I suggest you see to apologize to your friends and teachers as soon as possible."

The blond smiled. "I will."

Tsunade then turned to glance over at the raven. "Did you bring him?" she asked, gesturing to the blond. The figure nodded. "Arigatou."

"You shouldn't thank me yet Hokage-sama. After all, I don't deserve your gratitude."

Tsunade's eyes widened. "That voice... you're..."

The raven went to lower his own hood. Charcoal-black eyes came to stare at brown.

"...Uchiha Sasuke."

He nodded. "It's been a while."

"So it has."

The two went to stare at each other till the blond broke their eye-contact with his voice. "I met Sasuke along the way. After telling him of my intentions he decided to come back with me."

Tsunade looked back at the raven skeptically. She didn't believe the last line of the Uchiha would just return for no reason. There had to be a reason. There always was one when it came to people like him.

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked straight at the raven. "I find it hard to believe you would return without a purpose. What is your real reason for returning?"

A silence filled the room.

Sasuke just stood there for a moment. His eyes blank but his body a bit tense. He knew he needed to say a reason. But what could he really say? He looked at the blond who'd turned around to stare at him. He gazed into those beautiful cerulean-blue eyes for a moment and that's when he had the answer.

"Well?" prompted the blond woman, getting a bit impatient.

The raven raised his eyes from the blonds' blue gaze and came back to stare into brown. "I want to start anew. In other words, I want a second chance."

The words shocked the Godaime. Or maybe it was the sincerity in the young Uchiha's voice. Either way, she had not expected it. She didn't know what she had expected really, but she knew this was not it.

She lowered her head and closed her eyes as she thought about it. There was no problem for her to agree on granting him this "second chance" he had after all not done much.

Now, he might be a missing-nin but he had not attacked anyone from Konoha except for Naruto. And according to the reports from others he's taken down two criminals and one lunatic.

She opened her eyes to look at the raven and blond that were talking quietly. The raven wasn't harmless but he didn't seem dangerous either. She knew she would have to keep an eye on him, but other than that there wasn't much she could do.

"Alright, I've made a decision," she said, catching the attention of both boys. "I'll let you stay in the village."

Relief overflowed the two teenage boys and both thanked the Hokage before leaving the office.

"Where are you planning on staying?" Naruto asked once they stepped out into the sunlight.

The raven stopped for a moment. "I don't know. I don't think I can bear to go back home to the Uchiha estate." He got a faraway look in his eyes as he looked over the many buildings of the village.

The blond looked at his friend rather sadly until an idea struck him that brought a smile to his face. He reached over and grabbed the raven by the arm to get his attention. "Then stay with me."

Sasuke honestly was shocked by the blond and it took him a while to find his voice. "Stay with you?" the blond nodded. "Are you sure I can?"

"Of course. If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have asked you."

Sasuke smiled. "Arigatou."

"No problem." He lingered on the other's arm for a moment before pulling away. "Now let's go eat, I'm starving."

The raven chuckled at his friend and they slowly made their way to Ichiraku.

* * *

The upcoming days were spent mostly inside Naruto's apartment since neither really wanted to seek anyone out. They were fine with just sitting inside the place and taking it easy. And if they needed to go out to get some fresh air they just put their cloaks on with their hoods up.

But when the fifth day came Naruto decided that they couldn't keep on doing this. They needed to face everyone sooner or later and sooner would be better. Sasuke reluctantly agreed to this and both decided to go out the next day.

Both were nervous as they stepped out of the apartment. They had decided to go to Ichiraku's for lunch and then to the library.

The walk to the restaurant was rather uneventful. They got a few stares from people along with them whispering to each other. Most conversations were about Sasuke and why he was walking around the village as if he'd never left.

The blond glanced over at the raven. His pale face was set in a mask of indifference apart from his eyes that were filled with a lot of anxiety. He could still not believe that the raven was really here. It was like a dream come true. It made him feel both happy and sad at the same time.

Happy because he gets to be close to the person he loves once again. And sad because he only had a certain amount of time left to live. He needed to spend his time wisely. And he was still contemplating whenever to tell the raven his feelings or not.

Sasuke suddenly glanced over at him. The anxiety in his eyes faded a little as his dark eyes connected with his blue. They suddenly seemed a bit brighter than what they had been just a second ago he noticed. Naruto didn't know what that meant but it for some reason made him want to smile.

When they finally arrived at Ichiraku they were greeted by Teuchi and Ayame. Both were slightly surprised when they saw Sasuke but made no comment on it and continued smiling as they served the two.

Naruto and Sasuke ate in silence but once they were done and leaving the small restaurant the blond felt like he needed to say something. It's been silent for far too long and Sasuke looked like he needed a distraction.

"Do you know what you're going to look for once we get to the library?"

The raven shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'll probably check out if there are any good novels now. You?"

"Probably going to check out the books on dreams again."

"Again?"

"Yeah. I went to the library with Sakura-chan once. I had had this very... unsettling dream the previous night and wanted to see if there were any books on dreams."

The raven was quiet for a moment before he asked, "Is the dream you had the nightmare you keep on having?"

The blond nodded and that seemed the end of their conversation for now.

* * *

The weather was good according to Sakura as she walked the streets of Konoha. It was sunny but not hot with a clear blue sky and wind blowing nicely. Days like these she couldn't help but feel at ease as she strolled down the streets of Konoha and followed the familiar road to the library.

When she opened the door and walked in her green eyes looked around the place until they stopped to stare at a certain blond she hadn't seen in a while. Her whole body and mind froze for a moment before the familiar feeling of rage washed over her. She clenched her fists as she stalked over to the table, ignoring the other person sitting at the table.

As if he was sensing her presence coming towards him, the blond looked up just as the pinkette stopped in front of him.

"S – Sakura-chan..."

"Don't you dare "Sakura-chan" me!" she yelled. "How dare you leave! Saying you're going after the Akatsuki! Why I ought to-"

She didn't finish her sentence as she pulled back her fist, planning on punching the living daylights out of her blond teammate. But someone gripped her arm before her fist could even touch Naruto.

"Sakura."

The pinkette froze. Her green eyes widening in shock before she turned only to come face to face with her long-time crush.

"That's enough," said the raven firmly before he let go off her arm and went to sit back down.

Sakura continued to stare at the Uchiha in shocked-silence. It wasn't possible, was it?

"S – Sasuke-kun?" she finally managed to get out.

"Hai? What is it?" said the raven without looking up from his book.

The pinkette could only stare at the raven before her. She didn't know for how long she was like that but was quite startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned towards the blond that was looking at her with concern showing clearly in his blue gaze.

Her shock slowly melted away and she said in a rather calm tone, "You better have a damn good explanation for this."

* * *

"...and that's what happened." Naruto ended the tale and went to look at Sakura.

Meanwhile said pinkette was staring at the blond in disbelief. She glanced over at the raven who was still reading his book as if nothing was wrong.

Sasuke had looked up to hear the blond telling the tale of how they met and returned together but had gone back to his book when the end was near. Now though, he looked back up when he felt eyes on him. His heart clenched in a certain way at the tear-stained face of his old teammate he found there.

"Sakura..." he began but was immediately interrupted.

"I'm so happy." The pinkette smiled through her tears as she looked at the raven. "I'm so happy that you're here Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke looked at his teammate with a soft look in his eyes. He closed the book he'd been reading before reaching over and taking her hand. Sakura looked up in surprise at the raven who took a deep breath to calm his nerves before speaking.

"Gomen'nasai."

Shock and confusion flickered across the female's face before she asked, "Nani?" she thought she'd heard it wrong. Sasuke couldn't have just apologized, could he?

Her answers were shortly answered when the raven repeated the word. "Gomen'nasai Sakura."

"Why... why are you apologizing?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Because I feel like I should and that I owe it to you."

Sakura couldn't believe it. The Uchiha Sasuke, her long-time crush, a genius, and past teammate had just apologized to her. She felt joy course through her being as a smile tugged at her lips.

She wiped away her tears before looking up at him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze in the process as she said, "Arigatou."

* * *

A few days passed before Naruto and Sasuke had the courage to apologize to everyone else. They mostly yelled at the blond for being such an idiot and glared as well as threatened the raven if he hurt either one of his teammates ever again, then he would have to answer to them.

Naruto was shortly forgiven for his rashness and stupidity while Sasuke wouldn't be easily so. He'd excepted it though and didn't really care whenever they would forgive him or not. Naruto and Sakura had forgiven him, and that's all he needed.

Teachers were then followed as both boys went to seek out Kakashi. The silver-haired man understood both their reasons and easily forgave them.

"You did what you thought was right." Was what he had said to them and it made both of them feel very lucky to have such an understanding teacher like him. Naruto also went to apologize to Yamato who like Kakashi, was understandable and easy to forgive.

Happy with how their day had turned out, the two boys went to celebrate.

* * *

Sasuke woke up to whimpers and someone thrashing in bed. He sat up on the mattress he'd been sleeping on for many nights now before getting up. In a few long strides had he crossed the room and was now inside the bedroom belonging to his blond friend.

He quickly went over to the bed and reached to grab his friend's shoulder to shake him awake. This wasn't the first time he'd done this. If someone had asked him how many he would say that he'd lost count. Waking up his friend and staying by his side until he fell back asleep had become second nature to him. He found nothing odd with doing this every time the blond had a nightmare.

This time though, he felt something change.

The blond had stopped making a sound as well as moving which brought a confused frown to the raven's face. Naturally Naruto would thrash more when he was awake and then it would take Sasuke some time to calm him down. He looked down at his friend and that's when he noticed it. He wasn't breathing.

Fear slowly crept its way into his mind and heart as he bent over to see if his heart was still beating. When he placed his ear to the left side of the other's chest his fear made itself known.

"No," he whispered and pulled back to look at the blond. "Naruto." He went to shake him but got no response and that's when sadness washed over him like a tidal wave.

He continued to shake the blond until it registered in his brain that it did nothing. Tears began prickling in his eyes as he just held the other close to his chest. One arm wrapped around the other's shoulders as the other wound around his waist. He pressed the body close to him, as close as he could possibly get before the tears finally fell.

He didn't know for how long he sat there sobbing quietly over the blond. It could've been hours or just a couple of minutes. He didn't know and honestly didn't care as he continued to cry.

"Sasuke?"

The voice startled him and he went to slowly move away to look at the blond. His breath caught in his throat when he saw cerluen-blue eyes smiling tiredly at him.

He opened his mouth to say something but found that he could not speak. What would he say anyway?

Naruto frowned in the moonlight as he focused his eyes on Sasuke's face. He stretched a hand out to touch the pale cheek and that's when he felt something wet come in contact with his skin.

"Why are you crying?"

Those words seemed to snap the raven out from his thoughts as he opened his mouth to answer.

"I was afraid," he whispered. "I was afraid I had lost you."

Those words warmed the other's heart but it also made him feel guilty. He was the reason of the raven's tears. He wiped the tears away from Sasuke's eyes before he placed his hand onto his cheek, stroking it slightly.

"Gomen'nasai."

The raven shook his head, as if brushing away the apology. "It's fine. I'm just glad that you're here."

There was a silence between the two boys that neither seemed to be in a hurry to break. They just continued to sit there and look at each other. But eventually Naruto's eyelids began to drop and Sasuke went to untangle himself from the other. A hand on his shoulder stopped him from getting up though and he looked down at the blond.

"Please stay."

Sasuke looked at his friend in surprise but quickly wiped it away and nodded. Naruto moved to the side and lifted up the covers so the other could settle themselves beside him. The bed was small and really not made for two people to share but they managed.

Naruto tried to keep his distance from the other but Sasuke only frowned before putting an arm over the blond and then pulling him in close. The blond breathed in surprise when his body was pulled up against the other's. He wanted to pull away but at the same time he was enjoying the closeness. He lied there for a while, contemplating on what to do until he told the part of him that wanted to pull away to fuck off and relaxed.

It didn't take long for either of them to fall asleep, and when they did, both didn't awaken until somewhere in the middle of the afternoon.

* * *

A few weeks passed since that night where they had shared a bed together. They never talked about it because there was nothing to say.

Sasuke also now knew the full meaning of Naruto dying. And he wasn't just scared but downright terrified at losing his friend. He knew the day would come though, the only question now was, when?

He didn't linger on the thought though. Wouldn't let him linger on it. But it seemed to hurt him every time he saw the blond in pain. His heart would just clench itself uncomfortably in his chest. He also knew that the fear of losing Naruto wasn't just because he's a close friend but also because of something else. The raven didn't know what it was but he found that he could not take his eyes off the blond when they were in the same room and worried about him constantly when he was alone.

He decided to go to the only person he could trust with these questions. And so, that's why on that particular day in the afternoon he was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea in hand in Hatake Kakashi's living room.

He had just told the silver-haired man of what he'd been feeling and was now waiting for an answer. The Jonin thought over what to say before he gave an answer to his former student.

"If I'm not wrong I would say that you're in love with him."

Sasuke had just taken a sip of his tea when the silver-haired man had spoken. The words took him by such surprise that he began to choke on the warm liquid. It through him into a coughing fit that made him gasp for air and tears gather at the corner of his eyes.

A few minutes later he finally seemed to calm down enough to look at Kakashi with wide eyes. "W – What did you just say?"

"You love Naruto," he said simply.

"Impossible."

"Naze?"

"Because..." the raven trailed off, thinking of a sensible reason he could give but couldn't find any so he just sighed.

"From what you've been telling me it seems pretty obvious that you do."

"How?"

"Well for starters," the silver-haired man began as he made himself more comfortable on the couch. "How do you feel when you two are in the same room?"

"I feel very calm and at ease."

"And how do you feel when he's not there?"

"Worried and afraid." Sasuke wasn't one to admit his fear so easily but he knew he could trust Kakashi so he wasn't afraid to tell him such things.

"What worries you?"

"I worry whenever Naruto is alright, none of the others seems to know what's happening to him. They act too much like nothing is wrong, like he isn't actually dying. Do they know?"

Kakashi shook his head. "They know something is wrong but not the whole story. Naruto decided it to be best not to tell them."

"Naze?"

The silver-haired man shrugged. "Who knows? But if I had to guess I think it has something to do with how they act around him. He probably doesn't want them to lose their spirit only because his life has been shortened."

Sasuke accepted that reason, it sounded like something the blond would do. Protect others and then bear the burden alone.

"Anyway," said Kakashi catching his former student's attention before he continued to speak. "Back to the matter at hand. What makes you feel afraid?"

"That someday Naruto won't be here," he answered with a slight shrug, seemingly uncaring on the outside while on the inside he felt his heart was being torn into pieces.

Kakashi saw straight through him but didn't comment. If Sasuke didn't want to say the whole reason, then he wouldn't push him. "How do you feel whenever you see Naruto in pain?"

"I..." began the raven. How did he feel now again? "I just hurt."

"Hurt in what way?"

"I feel like my heart is being ripped to bits. Like someone has just stabbed me in the gut and is twisting the knife. Like something is making it difficult for me to breath. But it's more than that," he said and took a small sip from the now lukewarm tea before he continued. "I want to soothe whatever pain he's in. Take it away in any form or shape. I sometimes don't want him to leave his apartment because I'm afraid what may happen outside the walls. I..."

He stopped as he realized what he was about to say next.

_I want to lock him away. I want to keep him all to myself. I want to touch him. I want to kiss him. I want to give him the kind of happiness he deserves._

But why did he want all that? Why did he want to do all those things?

_Because... because I-_

"I love him."


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

Naruto felt warm. Warm and at peace. He felt like he was floating. It felt nice.

He tried to open his eyes to see where he was but found that he did not have the energy to do so. So he just continued to lie there as time ticked by.

"No."

A voice in the distance interrupted his peace and quiet. He frowned, wondering who dare disturb him.

"Naruto."

The voice held so much emotion. So much fear. Naruto wanted to open his eyes and see what was going on, but still, he could not open them. So he just listened for the voice, waiting for it to come again. It never did though. As he began to return to his peaceful slumber he felt strong limbs wrap around his body and a wet substance hitting his skin.

Naruto woke up.

He had to shut his eyes at the sunlight that was peeking from the window. He went to move but found that his body was trapped. Puzzled, he looked down only to find a pale arm wrapped around his torso. And when he noticed that he could clearly feel the solid body pressed up against him.

He blinked. Once. Twice. The image of the arm around him and the feeling of another person was still there. He wondered why though.

It had been weeks since they had last shared a bed together and a long time since the last nightmare. He think that he would've remembered being woken up in the middle of the night and the raven getting in. And yet, here the guy seemed to be, as if on his own free will.

He reached for the arm and slowly lifted it up so that he could creep away from the death grip the other seemed to have on him. He shortly got out of the bed and then made his way to the kitchen for a cup of ramen.

As the cup was standing on the table to cool down, the blond had gone to wash up real quick. He felt tired in every muscle and his head was pounding like crazy.

He washed up and put on clothes quickly before unlocking the bathroom door and opening it. His eyes immediately went over to the bed where he saw Sasuke still sleeping.

He let a smile show before he sat down on the chair and picked up the chopsticks. He managed to eat most of the ramen until he felt he couldn't get another bite in him. He got up with the cup in hand and went to the kitchen to throw it away. He didn't make it though, no more than three steps he felt his vision blurry and then in the next moment, it went dark.

"Oi! Naruto! Okiro!"

The blond slowly opened his eyes as he came face to face with the concerned pale face that was Sasuke. He noticed then that he was lying on the floor in the middle of his small kitchen. And that the raven had an arm around his shoulders.

_What happened?_

"_**You fainted."**_

The blond frowned as he tried to remember but his head hurt just too damn much.

"_**Take it easy Naruto,"**_ said Kurama calmly. _**"You need to rest."**_

_Resting is all I've done these past weeks. I don't want to just sit around and wait for the day of my end to arrive._

"_**Naruto..."**_

_No Kurama. Please,_ he pleaded. And with that their conversation ended and the blond turned to the raven who was looking at him in concern.

It tore his heart to see the other looking at him like that. He didn't want him to worry, but knew that he could do nothing about it. And that's exactly why he hadn't told anyone else of his condition. He didn't want to be the reason for their anger and sadness. He wanted them to continue smiling and be happy, even once he's gone. He doesn't want them to grieve for him, but he knows that was just wishful thinking, but he could still hope.

"What are you thinking about?"

Sasuke's voice startled him slightly but when he remembered where he was he smiled. "I'm thinking that I'll miss you guys."

He saw many emotions flutter over the other's face until one settled over. One that he could not read. Though it almost looked like... fondness.

"I'll miss you too," said the raven truthfully and went to stroke the other's hair. "You're burning up," he added when his fingers came in contact with the other's skin.

"Back to bed?" asked Naruto.

"Back to bed." And with no further words did the raven put an arm under the other's legs before he lifted him up.

Naruto wound his arms around the other's neck as his head rested on their chest. The close scent and warmness that was Sasuke seemed to immediately calm him. He even sighed in contentment.

"Enjoying ourselves, are we?" asked the raven sounding amused.

The blond tightened his hold on the other before he replied. "Very much so."

He then felt himself being lowered down gently on his bed. Even when he was fully settled, he made no move to remove his arms from the other's neck and the raven may no longer have his arms around the other, but he also made no move to get up.

The two teenage boys looked at each other for a moment before Naruto's eyes went down to look at the other's lips. He clearly remembered when his own had latched on there. He had been absolutely disgusted and horrified. But now, now he would do almost anything to just have those on him.

It was kind of funny as he thought about it. He went from hating the Uchiha to loving him. He couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping his lips.

"What's so funny?" asked Sasuke with a faint smile.

The blond shook his head. "No. I was thinking that it's incredible how one can come to love someone you were so jealous of that you began to hate them."

The surprise was evident in the other's eyes but Naruto didn't care anymore. And to prove his point, he leaned over and – oh so gently – pressed his lips onto the other's.

The kiss was short but it was the most wonderful thing that either boys had ever experienced. The blond didn't blush or look away when he pulled back. He just smiled. Like there was no care in the world. Like he wasn't actually dying and that this might be the last moment they would ever experience together.

How wrong he was.

Because after he pulled away he was shortly pulled back. The movement made him gasp in surprise and the other took this opportunity to run his tongue over.

If a simple brush of lips had been a wonderful feeling then this was _incredible_. The blond felt like he had before he had woken up that day. Warm and at peace. _Floating_. He loved that feeling and wanted it to last for as long as possible.

But eventually they had to pull back to breath and when their eyes met both smiled. They sat like that in the silence, just catching their breaths and gazing into each others eyes with such tenderness that none would doubt that they didn't at the very least remotely like each other.

"Want to go again?" asked Sasuke when his breath had returned completely.

"Hai!" exclaimed Naruto and without further encouragement crashed their lips together.

* * *

A few days passed since that day where they had shared their second kiss. Ever since then neither had found a reason to hide their true feelings for each other. Not even when they were out in public. They never really kissed out in the open but the small touches and looks that they sent each other was enough proof to know that something more was going on.

They eventually had been approached by Sakura and neither wanting to lie to her told the truth. She was at first shocked but eventually opened up to them, accepting their relationship for what it was.

"I can't say I'm not jealous but you two are more important to me than past feelings." She had said and both had been truly grateful for having such a friend like her.

The boys then became a bit more open but still refused to kiss out in the daylight, during the night however, was a whole other story.

Naruto also noticed how his body seemed to grow weaker and weaker as each day passed. He grew more and more tired for each hour. And ate less than what he actually should be doing. He knew his time was coming to an end.

He decided then one day that he wanted to spend his time looking over the village. So the two boys went to the top of the Hokage monument that overlooked Konoha. They sat down on a bench and Naruto instinctively leaned into the other's touch as the other wrapped their arms around him.

They sat there, in the peaceful silence for a long time. No words were exchange. And no one came to disturb them. They just sat there, staring out at the village below them or up at the blue sky.

The blond felt his eyelids drop as the feeling in his muscles seemed to weaken rapidly. He opened his mouth to say something but forgot what it had been. So he just closed it and continued to look over the village.

He felt Sasuke shift. The arms around him tightened and then a soft kiss was placed on his temple. He smiled. Words weren't needed right now. It never was.

And so, Naruto closed his eyes, never to open them again.

* * *

**Authors Note: That's the end of Fallen. I actually had two endings in mind with this story, one being this one and then the other ending with Naruto's funeral and explaining a little on what happened with the others but I liked this one better.**

**I know this chapter, or part, or whatever you want to call it is shorter than the other two but there really was nothing more that I could add to it.**

**Reviews would be nice.**


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